Summary
Kung fu is a very difficult martial art to master and has been at the core of many iconic films. A major appeal of kung fu movies is, unsurprisingly, the breathtaking choreography and intense discipline of many signature moves that make the martial art so uniquely special. Some kung fu moves used within these movies are as fictional as the characters who perform them, such as the ridiculous, but still iconic, Five Point Palm Exploding Heart Technique from Quentin Tarantino’sKill Billseries.
However, other moves, as well as looking incredible, are actually used in the real world. Theserealistic kung fu moves are a true blend of authenticity and entertainment, providing audiences with heart-pounding action sequences rooted in reality. While the impact of some of these moves is certainly exaggerated for the movies they are in, they are nevertheless an impressive catalyst for propelling the kung fu genre to international fame.
10Eagle Claw
Used By Bruce Lee In Fist Of Fury
1972’sFist of Furyis one of the most popular kung fu movies ever and starsthe legendary Bruce Leeas Chen Zhen, a student desperate to protect China and avenge his master’s death.Fist of Furyisrenowned for its realistic fighting choreographycentering around the Eagle Claw technique. This is a type of kung fu that involves a fighter grasping specific muscles and pressure points of their opponents to temporarily paralyze them, acting much like the talons of an eagle.
Eagle Claw is heavily employed by Lee throughoutFist of Fury, particularly in the third act, and has since become one of the most popular disciplines of kung fu in both movies and the real world. A notable use of the technique sees Lee infiltrate a dojo and break free from an opponent’s hold by using the technique on his adversary’s ankle. Lee’s use of Eagle Claw inFist of Furyhelped cement him as a legend, not just of the genre, but of the martial art itself.
9Butterfly Kick
Used By Jet Li In Hero
The Butterfly Kick isone of the most technically impressive kung fu movesto pull off effectively, both in real life and in the movies. It sees the martial artist perform a defensive horizontal flip while kicking out at their opponent to catch them off guard. This move is so popular that it is also used in movies not centering around kung fu, particularly inThe Phantom Menacewhen Darth Maul uses the move when involved in a lightsaber duel with Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon.
The most prominent usage of the move within the kung fu genre comes fromthe 2002 Jet Li movieHero, in which he stars as a nameless assassin. In one of the most memorable scenes of the movie, Nameless faces off against Sky (Donnie Yen) and executes an incredible Butterfly Kick in an attempt to overcome his opponent, demonstrating the technical difficulty of such a feat in the process. While less effective in real life martial arts than in the movies, the Butterfly Kick is no less acrobatic and impressive when executed well.
8Shadowless Kick
Used By Jet Li In Once Upon A Time In China
The Shadowless Kick, popularized byChinese folk legend Wong Fei-hung, isa kung fu move characterized by misdirection, strength, and most importantly, speed. The kicker keeps their upper body relatively still, catching their opponent off guard as they kick them with lightning-fast reflexes. While its usage in popular culture and kung fu movies certainly exaggerates the reality of the speed of the kick, it is this mythology surrounding the move that has made it one of the most endearing to audiences.
In Jet Li’sOnce Upon a Time in China, the move is used multiple times when Li (who portrays a fictionalized version of Wong Fei-hung) is fighting to protect China from foreign invaders. Li’s usage of the Shadowless Kick inOnce Upon a Time in Chinahelped establish the move as a staple of the martial art.
7Palm Strike
Used By Michelle Yeoh In Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
One ofthe simplest yet most versatile kung fu movesthat is used in real life and the movies is the palm strike. Unlike a traditional punch, the palm strike uses the heel of the palm to inflict significant force upon the opponent, reducing the risk of hand injury in the process. The simplicity of the palm strike has propelled it to popularity across the martial arts genre but particularly in kung fu movies.
One of the most famous kung fu movies that employs the palm strike in its choreographed fights isCrouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. In particular, the palm strike is used in the iconic fight scene between Shu Lien (Michelle Yeoh) and Jen (Zhang Ziyi), one ofCrouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’s most famous sequences. Shu Lien frequently disorientates Jen by rapidly striking with her palm during an intense sword fight, eventually using the move to overcome her opponent.
10 Great Martial Arts Movies Like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is a staple martial arts film with similar fight sequences found in other films using wire-fu techniques.
6Praying Mantis
Used By David Chiang In Shaolin Mantis
Taking its name and fighting style from the movements of a praying mantis itself, this kung fu technique incorporates joint locks, sharp hand movements, and counterattacks. The sharpness and precision required to successfully use the praying mantis technique make it one of the most impressive kung fu styles to witness, and, as a result, has led to the technique being used multiple times in different kung fu movies.The most prominent of these uses is in 1978’sShaolin Mantis, where Wei Fung (David Chiang) attempts to infiltrate a rebellion on the orders of the Emperor.
Shaolin Mantislaunched the Praying Mantis kung fu techniqueof kung fu into the limelight of popular culture, with many other kung fu movies attempting to replicate the realism of its choreography. Perhaps the most popular of these replicants is the exaggerated version of the praying mantis style that is presented by Mantis (Seth Rogen) inKung Fu Panda.Nevertheless, it is the technique used inShaolin Mantis, particularly in the final fight scene, that stands the test of time and is most like the kung fu style found in real life.
5Monkey Kung Fu
One of the most acrobatic kung fu styles is monkey kung fu, which requires as much mental wit as it does physical strength and determination. By using a combination of slaps, clawing motions, and evasive movements, monkey kung fu is mostly used in the real world to quicklyovercome one’s opponents through disorientation, mimicking the style of a monkey’s attacks. As one of the most unique martial art techniques, monkey kung fu quickly became a popular staple of the kung fu genre.
Shaw Brothers’Mad Monkey Kung Futells the story of a young thief, also called Monkey (Hsiao Hou), as he learns the ways of kung fu from his guardian, Chen (Lau Kar-leung). By combining his natural acrobatic skills with Chen’s ancient wisdom, Monkey is able to produce his own discipline of monkey kung fu that would give the movie its name. This style of kung fu was also adapted byKung Fu Pandain its depiction of the techniques used by Master Monkey (Jackie Chan).
4Drunken Fighting
Used By Jackie Chan In Drunken Master
Despite what the name suggests, the Drunken Fighting style is an ancient kung fu technique that has been described by experts as “elegance and grace in motion” (viaKung Fu Magazine). Under the rather simple premise of imitating a drunk person,this method of kung fu primarily usesdeception and fluid off-balance attacksto take advantage of their adversaries lowering their guard. The unexpected nature of the attacks of the Drunken Fighting style surprisingly makes this kung fu technique one of the most effective if pulled off correctly.
Jackie Chan stars as a fictionalized Wong Fei-hung inDrunken Master, a kung fu movie that prioritizes comedic choreography for the entertainment of its audiences. Wong Fei-hung learns the Drunken Fighting style from his alcoholic master, Beggar So (Yuen Siu-Tin), eventually perfecting his own version of the kung fu technique. The final fight scene ofDrunken Mastersees Wong Fei-hung use his unique Drunken Fighting style to defeat the violent killer Yim Tit-sam (Hwang Jang-lee).
3Spear Hand Strike
Used By Keanu Reeves In The Matrix
One of the coolest and most influential kung fu techniques that has been sensationalized by the movies is the Spear Hand strike, which sees an open hand using all four fingers to strike vulnerable parts of the body. Despite it being seen as a relatively straightforward technique on the big screen, in reality, it is an extremely complicated kung fu strike to get right. This is because the intense pressure exerted on one’s fingers during a misguided strikecould lead to a broken finger or two.
The Spear Hand Strike is incredibly popular in the movies, even making its way into those that aren’t centered around kung fu, such as when Neo (Keanu Reeves) uses the move against Agent Smith’s (Hugo Weaving) neck inThe Matrix. In the final fight scene ofBuddha Assassinator, the move is also employed in a very similar way. Kung fu scholar Shao Hai (Meng Hoi) faces off against the cruel Prince Tsoi (Hwang Jang Lee), and, after an intense fight, Hai eventually defeats Tsoi via a devastating Spear Hand Strike to the throat.
2Wing Chun Chain Punches
Used By Donnie Yen In Ip Man
This real life kung fu technique has not just been made popular by the movies but by its adaptation into a host of other media, including the fighting game,Tekken.It typically involves a series of rapid-fire strikes against the opponent, repeatedly causing them to block and parry. While being unlikely to incapacitate them in their own right (unlike in the movies), the Wing Chun Chain Punch can provide a trapping effect whereby the opponent is too busy responding to the barrage of strikes to retaliate effectively.
Wing Chun Chain Punches are used inIp Man, a movie that focuses on the life of Bruce Lee’s titular trainer, to reiterate the high-octane nature of the fights on screen. While Lee was responsible for popularizing the move in kung fu movies, he learned the technique from Ip Man. With its appearances in popular culture being innumerable, it is a fair assessment to state that the Wing Chun Chain Punches are one of the most popular kung fu moves of all time.
1Snake Kung Fu
Used By Jackie Chan In Snake In The Eagle’s Shadow
Snake Kung Fu takes its name from the smooth, agile movements of a snake and the ability of the animal to sharply strike its prey with force at vital points. Of course, when used in kung fu, the “prey” is one’s opponent. By using a combination of uniquely fluid moves and precise strikes, this style of kung fu is often used to quicklyincapacitate an opponent before they can do any damage,making it one of the most devastatingly effective kung fu techniques.
InSnake in the Eagle’s Shadow, Jackie Chan’s character, Chien Fu, learns the ways of Snake Kung Fu from his teacher, Pai Cheng-tien (Yuen Siu-tien). Chien Fu eventually uses his knowledge of snake kung fu to defeat the evil leader of the Eagle Claw Clan, Sheng Kuan (Hwang Jang-lee). Along withDrunken Master,Snake in the Eagle’s Shadowhelped establish Chan as a pioneer of entertaining kung fu movie choreography.
